At the NBAA Maintenance Conference this week in Portland, Oregon, Christopher Broyhill, a business aviation compensation expert and founder of The AirComp Calculator, highlighted a key difference between pilot and aviation maintenance technician (AMT) pay rates. While business aviation pilot pay has climbed dramatically in the past decade, AMT rates have also grown—but at a much slower pace.

“I can count on one hand” where AMTs are paid properly, said Broyhill, based on data from the more than 300 studies he has conducted. “By and large, they are being underpaid.”

Business aviation does have an advantage on the maintenance side, he explained, because mechanics tend not to be as attracted to airline careers as pilots. AMTs, like the variety offered by business aviation, have the opportunity to be more independent, and potentially more loyal. “They're good for business aviation because they’re not being hired [away] by airlines.”

However, the pay gap remains a sore spot. “[AMTs] should be able to earn per hour what a Porsche mechanic makes. It’s not a good message if a Porsche mechanic is paid $125 an hour,” Broyhill said, compared to AMTs earning far less. “It should be the same. Maintenance people are no less vital [in business aviation].”

Broyhill pointed to AirComp data from 2015 through 2023 that shows that director of maintenance salaries climbed by just 37% while the compensation of chief pilots rose by a whopping 53%. Captain pay has climbed 58% in that period compared to technical pay, which is up only 23%. “[AMT] increases have been moderate,” he said. “We can afford this as an industry."

Technicians need to be more forthright about asking their companies for transparency about salary information, he advised. “Get better informed about what your worth is and bargain for it. Fight for yourself. You should be able to do better.”